No one home when fire starts in North Walnut Street house

Kewanee police were investigating Thursday to learn who owns a North Side house that was damaged by a fire.

The fire was reported early Thursday afternoon at the house at 711 N. Walnut St.

Fire Chief Paul Schaecher and police officer Kevin Bloom were the first to arrive at the house. Schaecher said they saw smoke coming from a second-floor window.

Schaecher and Bloom went to the door of the house and determined that no one was inside.

Firefighters confined the fire to a downstairs bedroom. Schaecher said that room was heavily damaged, but there was little fire damage to the rest of the house.

“Thank goodness we got there as soon as we did, because it could have gotten out of control very quickly,” Schaecher said.

As of press time Thursday night, the investigation was continuing into the cause of the fire. Schaecher said it appeared that two families were living in the house, but authorities didn’t know who they were, or who owns the house.